[3] Preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) is when water breaks both before the onset of labor and before the pregnancy's 37 week gestation.
[3][4] In the United States, more than 120,000 pregnancies per year are affected by a premature rupture of membranes, which is the cause of about one third of preterm deliveries.
[6] On occasion, with the rupture of membranes, particularly if the head is not engaged, the umbilical cord may prolapse.
A cord prolapse is an obstetrical emergency, as the descending head may block fetal-placental circulation.
Once the membranes are ruptured, bacteria may ascend and could lead to amnionitis and fetal infection.